History

The President’s Club of Hillsdale College, launched in 1969, encourages, recognizes and appreciates the support of our most substantial and committed financial partners. This partnership has been tested and found to be true and enduring.

In the summer of 1975, the federal government notified Hillsdale and all other American colleges and universities that the definition of “federal recipient” had changed: Any school whose students accepted federal taxpayer loans or grants was now to be classified as a federal recipient, and therefore subject to an endless list of federal mandates, quotas and guidelines.

Hillsdale College, not itself a federal recipient, objected to being labeled and shackled as such because of the personal loans and grants received by students. A long court battle ensued, which the College ultimately lost in 1984, when the Supreme Court upheld the new definition. In response, Hillsdale’s trustees made a bold decision to notify students that they no longer could accept federal taxpayer aid to attend Hillsdale. Simultaneously, they committed to replacing the lost federal taxpayer dollars with private ones, so that no qualified Hillsdale student would be turned away, or forced to go elsewhere, for lack of financial assistance.

For over 40 years, President’s Club members have provided exemplary leadership in giving to support Hillsdale's students, independence, and excellence. And it is only with their support that Hillsdale remains a trustee of the free man's intellectual and spiritual heritage.